Adler's being recognized for service to community and beyond

Chris and Robert Adler, shown here in 2008, are receiving the Myrtle Wreath Award on Saturday from the southwest region of Hadassah for their contributions to the community and nationally.

Caller-Times file Photos

CORPUS CHRISTI - City Councilwoman Chris Adler wears many hats -- including a giant orange one with a turkey on top.

As Miss Goody 2 Shoes with Clowns Who Care, Adler has for years brought smiles to sick youngsters at Driscoll Children's Hospital, where she has served on the hospital's foundation. But her broader reach nationwide bringing breast cancer awareness to millions of high school girls is one reason a Jewish women's volunteer organization is honoring Adler, and her husband, Robert, Saturday at its regional conference with the Myrtle Wreath Award, which honors outstanding leadership in the Jewish community.

"It's for their incredible contributions to our organization and to the Corpus Christi community," said Barbara Shurberg, president of Greater Southwest Region of Hadassah, the largest Jewish women's volunteer organization in America with more than 300,000 members.

"We're greatly honored," Chris Adler said. "It's a great time to be with our Texas friends, and with so many from outside of Texas."

More than 125 Texas members of Hadassah, founded in 1912, will join national organization leaders, including President Nancy Falchuk for the weekend conference beginning Friday in Corpus Christi.

Hadassah was nominated in 2005 for the Nobel Peace Prize for its equal treatment of people and its efforts to build international peace.

Robert Adler founded and operated Atlas Iron and Metal for more than 45 years, coining himself the "original, ultimate recycler." He's served on the boards of Lexington Museum on the Bay, USO of South Texas, Rotary Club, American Red Cross, and a local women's shelter, among others. He served three years as president of B'nai Israel Synagogue.

Chris Adler was elected to the City Council in May 2009 after 11 years on the Board of Regents of Del Mar College and eight years on the Corpus Christi Independent School District board. She has been a board member of Congregation Beth Israel and the Art Museum of South Texas.

She is a national board member of Hadassah credited with founding Check It Out, a breast cancer awareness program presented to more than 2 million high school girls nationwide. Hadassah has expanded the program to educate boys on testicular cancer awareness.

Adler has heard stories of women who after the Hadassah program have found lumps and prevented cancer from spreading, even saving their lives.

To know she's made a difference for others, she said, "It's such an incredible feeling."